Links With The Past: Carter Crossland’s Gold Medal
A recent addition to the Club’s Heritage Collection is this valuable 18 carat gold medal presented to Leicester City Director Carter Crossland in 1925 to commemorate winning the Second Division title.
Carter Crossland was well known in Leicester. Involved in the local boxing scene, he had been the licensee at the West End Inn (later known as the Pump and Tap) near Braunstone Gate since 1904, before taking over the Hinckley Road Brewery, later known as the Shipstone’s Arms Hotel, just before the First World War.
He became a Leicester Fosse director in 1909 just after the Club had been relegated after its only season in the old First Division.
Soon afterwards, he was named amongst the mourners at the funeral of Harry Thorpe, a player who died in September 1908. The gold medal awarded to Thorpe for the 1908 promotion is also in the Club’s collection.
Financial problems, poor results and the First World War meant that the next ten years were the darkest in the Club’s history. Throughout the war, Carter did much to support Leicestershire FA’s appeal for young men to join the armed forces.
When Leicester Fosse was reconstituted as Leicester City Football Club in 1919, Carter Crossland continued to be a director.
Carter died on 19 April 1928 aged 56 after 'a long and painful illness'. The funeral service was at Robert Hall on the corner of Upperton Road and Narborough Road. He was interred at Welford Road cemetery.
As a mark of respect, the players wore black armbands for the penultimate game of the season, a top of the table clash at Filbert Street against Huddersfield Town, with both sides fighting hard to win the First Division title.
Leicester City’s final position was third in the top flight. The Club had come a long way since Carter Crossland had joined the Board 19 earlier.